Chapter Title: Dragon's Fang
Chapter Synapses: A hostile Delta Quadrant race makes an incursion into Federation space. Admiral Janeway takes command of Hyperion, claiming need for a warship.
Written by: Seraph Koji
"Sir?" A female ensign reported from the tactical position of the small Defiant-class, "Reading odd subspace signals."
"Something's appearing off out starboard bow!" another crewman screamed in horror as dozens of small vessels emerged from a strange subspace anomaly followed by one, larger and more sleek, cruiser.
"Reading almost seventy assault vessels. They're old, but their particle cannons can still hurt."
"Red Alert. Send word to Starfleet Command. Unknown fleet in hostile position. Give our coordinates."
"Captain's log, stardate 57591.1. After receiving word of an odd enemy fleet sitting on the outskirts of Federation space, we have set an intercept course at maximum warp. We broke for only a moment to rendezvous with a ship carrying Admiral Janeway, who has personally decided to lead this mission. She says this enemy is an old friend of hers – the Vodwar. She advised us that this will most probably end in a large-scale armed conflict."
"We accidentally reanimated a cell of the Vodwar who had been in stasis for almost a millennia." Janeway explained to the senior officers, "We were looking for a way home, and the Vodwar's subspace passages seemed promising. But the Vodwar weren't exactly willing to share."
"Cross you?" Starwind assumed.
Janeway nodded, "They planed to use us to defeat their enemy and then take our ship. Seems those we knew survived rebuilt their civilization."
Collins examined a data pad with the fleet details on it, "Seems they want to thank you for helping them out, Admiral."
"Argo class?" VonBach was reviewing the specs for the fighters of the Vodwar, "That's Greek."
"Weakness?" Collins asked, ready for a fight.
"Argo class interceptors were only equipped with particle cannons. Weak, but still somewhat effective. Keep in mind, those ships are better than nine hundred years old." She sighed, "The larger carrier… Probably something they stole. No telling what it's capable of."
"Diplomatic solutions?" Starwind asked, not as eager as his first officer.
"None." Janeway said, calmly, "I didn't chose Hyperion for this mission lightly, Captain. If there were a diplomatic solution, I would send Enterprise or Voyager. But Hyperion is a the closest thing to a warship I could get my hands on."
West interjected, "Admiral, I'm sure I don't need to remind you that an armed conflict is a last resort."
Janeway eyed her scornfully, "Counselor, if the Borg were on the outskirts of Federation space, would you save violence for a last resort."
There was a moment of silence as West took this hit with a small dose of frustration.
"Well, that's good enough for me." VonBach declared.
Starwind fought a laugh, "Joe, she had you at 'armed conflict'."
"Dismissed." Janeway stood.
Satrwind approached Janeway, "Could this be the impending war?"
"The one you discovered in the logs from the Tal'Nori homeworld?" Janeway thought a moment then shrugged, "I made a number of enemies in the Delta Quadrant, Captain, and many of them want revenge. The Vodwar are probably one of the races most able to seek it."
"'One of'…?" Starwind repeated, nervously.
"Don't worry, Captain. You won't die today." Janeway assured him.
"We'll intercept the fleet at 1400 hours." Starwind reported, and sensing an air of dismissal, left.
"I gotta admit." Collins said to Sen on their way to the turbolift, "I'm apprehensive."
"About the Admiral or the mission?" Sen asked.
"Both."
Sen thought a moment, "You're off-duty until 1330, right?"
"Yeah?" Collins responded, entering the turbolift,
"Do you play poker?" He paused. She hesitantly nodded, "Join us at the officer's game in Talara's quarters. Half an hour."
"I will." Collins nodded, "Deck three."
Time passed slowly for most, but the poker playters found a way to relax. Crowded around the poker table were Collins, Sen, Talara, Ivano, West, and VonBach.
"Fold." Ivano sighed.
"Just you an me, Pinkskin." Talara smiled at VonBach.
"Forty." VonBach threw chips in, "Is that too much for you, Blue?"
She threw her chips in, "Let's see this hand."
VonBach revealed his hand. He had nothing to beat Talara.
Collins laughed, "Oh, Joe, that was a terrible bluff."
West was enjoying VonBach's loss too, "Don't shoot her."
"I might shoot you." VonBach offered.
"Forty!" Sen mimicked VonBach, "Like it was some decree from the Prophets."
"They on our side today, Sen?" Talara asked.
"Hey…" Ivanio protested, "Let's not talk shop today."
"They better be." Collins dealt another hand, "We're being invaded, after all. That puts Bajor at risk"
"Really, let's not." Ivano continued to protest.
"What do you think the Vodwar are like?" West asked.
Sen shook his head, "Who knows? Only people in Starfleet that have seen them before are Janeway's old Voyager crew."
"I hear they're more aggressive than Klingons and more treacherous than Romulans." Talara whispered.
"I hear that your source is crap." VonBach said defiantly, "Only thing more vicious than the Klingon Empire is me."
"I understand there is a fleet of them." Collins chimed in on the speculation, "A fleet of Vodwar against one Federation ship."
"Their technology is almost a thousand years out of date, Dorian." Talara replied.
"Still, a fleet." Collins sighed, "And they still pack a punch, even after this long."
"Are we gonna play cards?" Ivano asked, both frustrated and uncomfortable, "Or chit chat about impending battles and make grandiose claims about our enemies?"
West sighed, throwing in chips, "Twenty."
Shortly thereafter, the senior bridge crew spilled out of the turbolift, many coming from a heated afternoon of poker in Talara's quarters, and took their stations. There was unnerving quiet across the bridge. Friendly banter that usually graced the senior officers when in this room was doused, either by the presence of an Admiral at the central chair of the bridge or the upcoming battle. Or, perhaps, both. Collins took the usual seat to the right of center, and Starwind sat to Admiral Janeway's left.
"Time, mister Ivano?" Janeway called, as if awaiting a countdown.
"Exiting warp now, ma'am." Ivano reported, having just taken the helm.
"Red Alert." Starwind turned to VonBach.
Simultaneously, Collins called to Talara, "On screen." Twenty small assault vessels surrounded a large cruiser on the screen.
"Hail the cruiser." Janeway rose, "I am Admiral Kathryn Janeway, commanding the starship Hyperion. Stand down and return to the Delta Quadrant where you belong."
A long-faced figure with a ridge running down along the face appeared on the screen. "Captain – I'm sorry, Admiral."
"Mister Gaul. I thought you were dead." Janeway said, in a disappointed tone.
"I made it out alive." He said, assuring her, "What became of Voyager?"
"She's still flying." Janeway responded, "I just wanted to take Hyperion for a spin."
"About those torpedoes I once asked you for…"
"I have a salvo with your name on it, Gaul." She hissed.
Gaul smirked, "I'd rather board your ship and take them myself. Better than firing them at me."
"Lovely chat, Gaul, but we're through here." Janeway returned to the central seat, "Go home or die. Hyperion out."
"They're powering engines." Ivano repotted.
VonBach scoffed, "Cowards."
"Actually, Commander…" Ivano paused, "They're heading for us."
"Forward shields to full." Janeway ordered, "Mister VonBach, fire at will."
"Admiral, recommend targeting the smaller ships first?" Starwind suggested, "They're archaic, we could take out a number of the and weaken the fleet as a whole."
"Do it." Jneway ordered.
"The smaller ships are firing particle cannons." Talara reported.
The ship jolted slightly, and Starwind turned to VonBach, "Adaptive armor?"
"Wouldn't have any affect." Janeway replied, "The particle cannons are too simplistic."
"Brilliant." Starwind replied.
"VonBach, fire s few bursts from the Multiphasic Cannon." Janeway ordered.
Three bursts hit Vodwar ships, each eliminating its target, "Hail Gaul." The Vodwar man appeared on the screen, "You're outgunned, Gaul."
"He who fights and runs away…" Starwind hinted.
VonBach scoffed, "Is a damned coward."
"I'm inclined to agree with the fellow in the back." Gaul referred to VonBach.
"Then why are your ships retreating to the corridors?" Janeway taunted, "Shoot one more down, Joseph."
He happily complied, "Four down, Admiral."
"Because my men want to live, and come back when we are twice in number and ten fold in power." Gaul ended communication and entered subspace himself.
"Stand down red alert. Ivano, set course for the Harrington, maximum warp." Janeway ordered.
"Minimal damage to report, Admiral." Talara informed her.
"A confrontation that anticlimactic?" Janeway smiled, "I would expect as much."
"Mister Gaul seems vigilant, for a 900-year-old man." Starwind observed.
"My first officer called the Vodwar 'dragon's teeth'. It is from Greek mythology, a slayn dragon's teeth were spread across a battlefield, and from them sprouted warriors, ready to continue fighting." Janeway thought back to the days in the Delta Quadrant, "Gaul wanted photon torpedo technology in exchange for passage through his subspace corridors."
"Now we know those lead into our back yard." Collins shuddered at the thought.
Starwind's fears turned to the war cited in the logs of the crashed Hyperion on the Tal'Nori homeworld, "Meaning that any of the Admiral's old foes could wage war on the Federation."
"The Vodwar are protective of the corridors." Janeway replied, "But, with the right offers and intentions, an enemy or two could earn passage."
"Recommend we place beacons. Mark this area as off-limits except to Starfleet patrol." Starwind suggested.
Janeway nodded, "Do it, Talara."
